Patrol reminds drivers to wear safety belts this Thanksgiving holiday Click it or Ticket

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COLUMBUS – In anticipation of increased traffic during the Thanksgiving holiday, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to buckle up, never drive impaired and always follow traffic laws.

Last year during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, nine people were killed in seven fatal crashes on Ohio’s roadways. Five of the nine fatalities, 56 percent, were the result of an impaired driver. As a result, troopers will be out in full force this weekend to remove these dangerous drivers from our roadways.

AAA predicts 48.7 million Americans, including more than 2 million Ohioans, will travel at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Wednesday, November 23 to Sunday, November 27. This is a 1.9 percent increase (2.1 percent in Ohio) from last year and the most Thanksgiving travelers since 2007 nationally (since 2005 in Ohio). Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year. You can protect yourself and your family by always buckling up.

“It’s simple – safety belts save lives and reduce injury in crashes,” Colonel Paul A. Pride, Patrol Superintendent said. “It is the easiest and most effective action you can take to protect yourself, your family and your friends.”

Troopers remind motorists to do their part in keeping roadways safe this Thanksgiving. Never drive while impaired and report impaired drivers and drug activity to the Patrol by calling #677.